Chapter 85 – Murong Zi, Bai Jingyun

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“The assessment shall officially begin. All those present who wish to participate in the assessment must pay one true essence stone to enter the Ten Thousand Killing Array.”

Before the deacon senior apprentice who was in charge of the Ten Thousand Killing Array finished his words, Wang Yanfeng was already the first one to jump onto the altar.

“The Wang Yanfeng, he really gets braver the more he’s frustrated.”

“I wonder how many ranks he will be able to rise this time.”

The audience under the stage was discussing Wang Yanfeng’s previous assessment performance. Before, he had had managed to attain rank 168, but after his assessment was over, several others had already surpassed him, and they had pushed Wang Yanfeng down into the 172nd position.

Wang Yanfeng calmed his mind in meditation as he sat down on the Ten Thousand Killing Array altar. He had realized that today, he would only be playing a small role. Even in the next year or two, this would not be his stage. All he could do was steadily fight, one step at a time.

“The assessment shall begin!”

A cover of light fell down on the stage, and Wang Yanfeng began his killing. Most of the 12 people on stage were around rank 120. As the assessment began to wind down, Wang Yanfeng was the third to be defeated. His final ranking was rank 145.

“This Wang Yanfeng managed to pass rank 150.”

“This is only temporary; he will be pushed down later. However, being able to enter the top 150 ranks in the second month is very good.”

Wang Yanfeng truly was a very good talent, however, Lin Ming’s halo was simply too abundantly bright, and he was completely neglected.

“Second Round. If you wish to participate in the assessment, come on stage.” The deacon senior apprentice said once again.

As the 12 positions emptied, a young girl in purple clothes flew onto the stage like a gust of wind. She stood firmly on a spot. This girl was Murong Zi.

“Sister Jingyun, let’s finish the assessment early.”

“Alright.” Immediately, Bai Jingyun also appeared on stage.

Some from the crowd called out in excitement and alarm. These two beautiful and arrogant women were 17 and 18 years old. Putting their heavenly appearances and temperaments aside, these two girls’ martial arts talent could be considered in the top ten of Sky Fortune Kingdom’s younger generation. Moreover, these two also had outstanding family backgrounds; others could only sigh at them as if they were the clouds above them.

Murong Zi had attended the Seven Profound Martial House for two years, and her ranking was 36. Bai Jingyun had been at the Martial House for three years, and her ranking was 26. These results, especially Murong Zi’s, were just as good as Zhu Yan’s!

When beautiful women came to the assessment, it was always very easy to attract the attention of many. Even the many spies turned their heads, as the major powers that they worked for, such as the Tenth Prince, had always wished to marry these two girls.

Certainly, compared to these two girls, Qin Xingxuan was a far more splendid existence. But Qin Xingxuan was too distant an ideal. She had resolved to pursue the road to being a Xiantian master. A Xiantian master was truly a legend from stories; mortals could not even hope of touching them. To marry Qin Xingxuan was only a fool’s dream, thus Murong Zi and Bai Jingyun became increasingly wanted by all men.

If they married them, then not only would they enjoy the bliss of being their husband, but they would also receive a big boost in their life from their support. With this and so many other advantages, who wasn’t moved by this?

If they could marry them together, that would simply be the pinnacle of life. Not even the royal princes dared to dream so greedily!

The light cover of the Ten Thousand Killing Array fell over them, and the assessment of these two girls officially began. Some male disciples of the Human Hall were staring at these two girls’ bodies as they were bathed in light, and their fists tightened and lips mumbled, as if they were even more anxious than them about this assessment.

Seeing this, Lin Ming had a slight feeling in his heart. When someone knew perfectly well in his heart that they could not obtain something, and that something had nothing to do with them, then they might even more earnestly pay attention, and even worry. This was the sorrow of the irrelevant person.

Irrelevant person… even if they entered the Seven Profound Martial House, if they could not bloom like a spring flower in this talented crowd of steep competition, then they would eventually become an irrelevant person regardless!

Six incense sticks’ worth of time had already passed. On the altar, Murong Zi lightly coughed, and her small face paled as she came down from the stage. This scene alone made all of the numerous staring males grip their hands with a worried expression. If they could suffer this pain for Murong Zi, they would gladly endure it.

Murong Zi’s final ranking was 28. This ranking was truly startling!

Shortly after, Bai Jingyun also stepped down from the altar. Her final ranking, rank 22!

These two proud and beautiful women were becoming increasingly dazzling. If another year passed, it would be possible for them to even enter the top 10!

All the scouts quickly lit their sound transmitting talismans and reported to their masters. This matter was enough to be brought to the attention of the princes.

These two girls were really the highest quality of women. However it was a pity that no matter how the princes’ hearts were moved, they could not force themselves upon them. They feared the power behind them, and although their own influence wasn’t small, they had to respect and obey the orders of the Royal Family.

These princes could simply not disregard the Seven Profound Martial House. No one, no organization, not even the Royal Family, had the courage to force a disciple of the Seven Profound Martial House. If they aggressed the rules of the Seven Profound Martial House and bullied a disciple, that would be tantamount to treating the Seven Profound Valleys with contempt. The terrifying power of the Seven Profound Valleys was enough to bring the Royal Family trembling to their knees in fear!

“The third round of the assessment shall begin. Those disciples who wish to participate, come onstage.” The deacon senior apprentice announced once more.

After the positions were vacated, Zhu Yan shot Lin Ming a subtle glance, and then slowly stepped onto the stage.

“Zhu Yan went on stage!”

With his talent, Zhu Yan was not necessarily in the top ten geniuses of his generation, but the differences weren’t far off. He was 17 years old, with a superior fourth-grade talent. He had attended the Seven Profound Martial House for two years, and his Ranking Stone rank was 30. The result was only inferior to Murong Zi.

Certainly, to reach this point, Zhu Yan had to expend much more effort and time than the playful and not so serious Murong Zi.

Therefore this talent was truthfully somewhat bad.

With Zhu Yan’s strengths and talents, he had certainly attracted the attention of many major powers. However, Zhu Yan was doomed to never be a person who could be wooed and won over.

The Zhu Family household head’s daughter was Zhu Yan’s aunt. She had married into the Royal Palace and had later become a royal concubine empress. She was the mother of the enormously influential Tenth Prince!

So Zhu Yan had been doomed to be a person of the Tenth Prince.

According to Sky Fortune Kingdom’s rules of succession, the son of a concubine could not be an heir. However the Emperor was not young, and the Empress had no child, therefore the Emperor had set the first son of the Royal Concubine Empress, the Third Prince, as heir and Crown Prince. The Third Prince began reading and writing at an early age, but his martial arts talent was only a mere second-grade. His strength was limited, and though he had a good and kind heart, it was not possible for him to safely inherit the throne.

But the Tenth Prince’s, martial talent was the highest among all of the Emperor’s sons at an inferior fourth-grade. In addition to this hard work, his cultivation was also very high. In his twenties, the Tenth Prince had commanded troops at the border and had become renowned as a valiant warrior who had repeatedly won many military exploits. He was then given the title of the Cloud King, and bestowed a Purple Gold Crown, and a royal robe with a four clawed dragon.

In the Sky Fortune Kingdom, not every emperor’s son would be conferred a grand title. There were two different titles, the first was a prince, and the second one was a duke. The prince was a first rank title, for instance the Tenth Prince’s Cloud King, and they could also possess territories and have such power equal to a national treasure like the royal jade seal. But the duke was only a second rank title, and they could only possess a manor.

Concerning power and influence among the ruling parties and opposition parties, The Tenth Prince’s might was even superior to the Crown Prince.

It was anyone’s guess of whose hands the throne would fall into in the future.

Once the Tenth Prince ascended the throne, then Zhu Yan would be a younger cousin of the emperor. Zhu Yan’s mother was only a concubine of the Zhu Family, and could only be known as a concubine’s son. But his aunt was actually the Royal Concubine Empress, and she was related to him through his father. Although their blood relation was a bit distant, with Zhu Yan’s outstanding strength, he would definitely be able to obtain the valuable trust of the new emperor!

“Assessment start!”

After Zhu Yan entered the Ten Thousand Killing Array, people immediately lit an incense stick to measure the time.

Incense sticks began burning out one after the other, and soon the fifth incense stick was half gone. Zhu Yan only now had a slightly weakened complexion. As the sixth incense stick was lit and almost burnt through, Zhu Yan let out a cough and was sent out from the Ten Thousand Killing Array.

Final ranking, 32!

Lin Ming quietly looked at this rank and didn’t think it was surprising. Zhu Yan had already been in the Seven Profound Martial House’s Heavenly Abode for more than half a year. At that time, his cultivation was only at the peak Third Stage of Body Transformation, but now he had broken into the Fourth Stage of Body Transformation. It wasn’t unusual for his cultivation to increase by leaps and bounds.

“32! Last month my rank was 126!” Lin Ming traced the shaft of the Penetrating Rainbow he carried on his back and unconsciously licked his lips. “Then, I will go on stage, to see how wide the gap is between myself and Zhu Yan.”